Down Low
by MorriganSyrena
Summary: After catching InuYasha with Kikyo, again, Kagome retreats to the well clearing, not wanting to go home but unable to keep her pent up emotions locked up. Singing to relieve the tension in her chest, she isn't at all aware she has an audience, a certain concerned wolf demon, lurking at the edges. Songfic. T rating is for one curse word.
1. Down Low

Koga stops running, sniffing the air. A smirk pulls at the corner of his mouth smelling vanilla and lavender, with just a hint of cherry blossom. _Kagome_, he thinks to himself before frowning deeply at the salty tinge to her normal scent, something bitter encasing the normally sweet smell. He sneers and takes off in the other direction, back to the well where he knew he'd find her. _That damn mutt, what's he done now? _

Kagome makes her way to the clearing by the well and drops to the grassy floor, unable to make it all the way over. She can feel the burning in the back of her throat, warning her of tears to come, but can't bring herself to allow them to fall. _He'd promised_, her thoughts echo in her head, _he'd _promised_ he was done with her_. She wraps her arms around her knees, resting her chin on them, looking out across the clearing. _I should have known something was up when he started avoiding me again_. She feels her chest tighten, the pain enough to make her wince. She doesn't want to go home, not when they're so close to finishing the jewel, but she knows she can't sit on her feelings.

Koga is nearly to the clearing when he hears a soft voice permeate the air, clear to his enhanced hearing, and while he feels he recognizes it, he knows he's never heard the voice before.

"It's been days I haven't seen your face. My first thought was not I've been replaced." he stops on the edge of the clearing to find Kagome sitting in the middle of the clearing, arms clutching her legs together while her head rests delicately on them, her eyes closed. _I didn't know she could sing... _

"But then I saw you with somebody other than me, I closed my eyes cause I don't wanna believe what I see," Kagome squeezes her eyes tighter against the images playing back for her in her head of what she'd seen, "you're sitting on the ground, arm around a girl that I don't know. She leans in closer and I know it's over when I see your eyes glow." _If only it had _just_ been his arm around her_, she can't help but think bitterly. "You just keep on looking at her like she is the only one you've ever known." _I mean, I've been here the whole time, haven't I?_ "I'm just now finding out you know how to love on the down-low." Her voice drops as the betrayal seeps into her voice. Koga can't help but look on in wonder. It didn't take him long to figure out exactly what it was that had put his Kagome in such a state. He remembered how excited she had been when she told him InuYasha had finally picked her over Kikyo, how he'd promised he was done sneaking around and lying, that he would only be there for her. Looks like that worked out great, he thinks, bitterly, while imagining all the things he would love to do to that mutt next time he saw him.

"I saw you look at her and that look I know. My head stayed high but my heart it sunk so low. Why'd you take her to a place you knew I could be?" Kagome turns her gaze skyward, wondering why they had to go to _their_ tree of all places. "I turn away cause I'm starting to believe what I see." A single tear falls down her cheek then and she stretches out her legs, wiping it away with the back of her hand as her voice falters, only for a moment. "You're sitting on the ground, arm around a girl that I don't know. She leans in closer and I know it's over when I see your eyes glow. You just keep on looking at her like she is the only one you've ever known. I'm just now finding out you know how to love on the down-low..." It takes nearly everything in Koga's power not to run to her right then and there, to do something to cheer her up, but isn't sure how she would take knowing she has an audience.

"You're sitting on the ground, arm around a girl that I don't know." Kagome lays down in the grass, resolve beginning to steel her shining blue eyes as she wills her tears to stop. "She leans in closer and I know it's over when I see your eyes glow. You just keep on looking at her like she is the only one you've ever known." She had thought InuYasha had chosen her, but apparently, they were both wrong. The only difference between all the previous times and this one is Kagome isn't going to play a part in this game anymore. She's done. "I'm just now finding out you know how to love on the down-low. Down low, down low. Down low, down low. Down low, down low. Down low, down low. Down low, down low..." As the final notes escape her lips, her chest feels lighter. Her heart still aches, but not nearly as bad as it had, or as she had thought it would. _This was his last chance,_ she smiles, sadly, to herself, a gesture that does not go unnoticed by her still hidden wolf friend. _He's all Kikyo's_.

Koga, relieved she's no longer crying, takes a step out into the clearing, startling her a bit. She meets his crystal blue eyes and smiles up at him from across the clearing as he closes the distance between them.

"I didn't know you were around here," she starts, eyes still shining from unshed tears, but her scent clearing up back to her usual intoxicating fragrance. He drops down on the ground next to her, leaning back on his arms with his legs out in front of him.

"Just came to check on my woman," he smirks, bumping her shoulder lightly with his own. She rolls her eyes as she returns her gaze to the stars, but he isn't met with her usual protests. Carefully keeping his face neutral, he resists the urge to quirk an eyebrow at the change in character, and gently inquires, "Are you okay?" He watches her think for a moment, remaining silent to allow her to collect her thoughts before she takes a deep breath, nodding on the exhale.

"Yeah. I am actually," She looks over at him once more and he can see in her eyes that she means it. He smiles at her, the weight in his chest a little lighter.

"Good. I can't stand to hear my woman's been hurt." She laughs outright, music to his ears, before she leans her head on his shoulder. He tenses up briefly before relaxing into her, enjoying the moment.

"The stars are beautiful," her voice is wistful, barely a whisper. Koga turns his head to look at her, completely unnoticed by Kagome, as he smiles softly down at her.

"Sure are." She doesn't need to know he means the stars he sees every time he looks in her eyes. "Know what's even more beautiful?" She tilts her head up to look at him, eyebrows drawn together in confusion. "Your singing." Her face immediately flushes as she quickly looks away, scratching the back of her head.

"Oh jeez, you heard that, huh?" Koga doesn't even try to keep the grin off his face as he watches her. "How much?" He shrugs, facing forward, once more looking at the stars he often took for granted. Even if they _did_ pale in comparison to the woman next to him.

"Whole thing," he sees her cringe out of the corner of his eye and smirks. "You know, it's a good thing I'm already in love with you." He notices her raise an eyebrow in confusion, despite her still flushed cheeks. "Cause, if I wasn't, that would have been all it took to push me over the edge." She scoffs at him, pushing his shoulder, barely managing to nudge him.

"Uh-huh, sure," disbelief laces her tone, even as she returns to her former position of leaning on Koga, her head on his shoulder. Silence takes over for a few moments, the two more than comfortable in each other's presence. "Hey, Koga?" her hesitant voice nearly echoes in the silence. "Thank you." He smirks, sneaking his arm around to drape it over her shoulders, pulling her a little closer.

"I'll always be here," he gives her shoulder a little squeeze, more than a little pleased when she settles against him a little more comfortably than before. "Whatever you need." The two spend the rest of the evening under the stars. If a certain human fell asleep on him, forcing him to lay down under the open sky, only for her to wrap herself around him for warmth, Koga certainly wasn't going to wake her or complain.

Song is Down Low by Sara Kays if anyone's interested!


	2. Waking Up Slow

It had been about a few months since Kagome's "accidental concert" as she had taken to calling it. Since then, Kouga had made several more visits to see her both during the day and at night. While InuYasha and he constantly fought during the day, making their visits less than pleasant, their nighttime talks made everything better. Kagome had stuck true to her promise and, while she forgave InuYasha for going to Kikyou, she had not allowed herself to fall for his other false promises. He knew she saw them, but had not brought it up to her even once. Instead, he tried to be more helpful, a little more understanding when she said she needed to go home, but was even more insistent on ensuring that she would return to them soon. Kouga felt he was being too controlling, but Kagome understood he was just afraid of being left behind like so many had done to him already. Not only that but with Kikyou's constant disappearing, Kagome was the only real jewel shard detector they had. Already, just three months after his last chance, Kagome could feel her feelings for InuYasha shrinking. She was concerned with her progress. Kouga and Sango were supportive, assuring her that it was a good thing, but she couldn't help but wonder if it was happening too fast. _Were my feelings for him even _real_ if they were already dissipating? _She thought as she sat in her usual place in the middle of the clearing the well is in.

Not only that, but she could feel her attitude toward Kouga changing. She felt her cheeks burn at the thought of him and a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She knew what was happening… and it scared her. Kagome knew Kouga is nothing like InuYasha, he would never do something like sneak around with another woman. Kouga loves her. While she'd had her doubts in the beginning, thinking it was just because of her ability to find jewel shards or even to get at InuYasha, the more time she spent around him, the more she realized he meant what he said. He really does love her. _It would be so easy being with him_, she can't help but think. Their time together had been so calm, he always knew just what to say when she was upset. It's like he can look at her and know exactly how she's feeling. Likewise, he's always upfront with her when something is bothering him or if he's had a bad day. It's definitely preferable to the constant guessing game dealing with InuYasha can be.

_Someone's trying to move on fast_, a snide voice sounds from the back of her head, making her wince. Is it right? Is it wrong to be enjoying Kouga's company so much so soon after everything with InuYasha? She lets out a groan of frustration as she lays back on the grass, looking up at the stars. The same stars she usually stares at with Kouga…

"Ugh! What is _wrong_ with me?" She yells, frustrated. After a moment, she lets out a sigh, closing her eyes. "Heaven help me, my mind changes like the wind," she sings, softly. "Please excuse me, I don't know where to begin, but I didn't think I cared. I could be your friend but I'm unprepared, oh, I've never felt like this." Eyebrows furrowed, she rolls over onto her stomach, propping her head on her hand. "I was unaware that you were lighting flares, now I'm running scared. How did it come to this? You know I've never been so lonely on my own, and it shows cause I don't see you like I used to…" Kagome reaches out and grabs a stray dandelion, only for a sudden wind to blow away most of the fluff. She breathes out a laugh, shaking her head. "Now I'm going back on the things that I know. Oh, all my nights taste like gold. Yeah, when I'm with you it's like everything glows," her nights with Kouga run through her head like a movie, forcing a smile to her lips, "and all my days, we can lay low. Yeah, when we're waking up, we're waking up slow." The thought of waking up next to Kouga sends a deep blush across her cheeks before she shakes her head, standing up. Kouga, grateful at not having been caught when his speed blew apart Kagome's dandelion, settles into a crouch behind some bushes, once again watching his woman sing her feelings out.

"I could rearrange, would you do the same? I don't wanna change but you're just too good to miss." _As if I'd want her to change anything about her_, he thinks to himself. _She's perfect as is._ "Cause I'm intertwined, and I'm running blind," Kagome pushes her hair back out of her face, before resting her hands on the back of her neck, an incredulous smile on her face. "But I don't mind, I'm so glad it came to this. You know I've never been so lonely on my own, and it shows cause I don't see you like I used to. Now I'm going back on the things that I know." She turns in a circle before lifting her gaze to the stars, singing to the heavens. "Oh, all my nights taste like gold. Yeah, when I'm with you it's everything glows and all my days we can lay low. Yeah, when we're waking up, we're waking up slow." Kouga watches as she paces a bit across the field. If he couldn't see the smile on her face the whole time, he would have been worried, but, judging from the content of her new song and their last few conversations, he has a feeling things are changing in his favor. As Kagome sings to the stars, she allows herself to admit what she had been trying to suppress out of guilt for months.

"It's a little bit clearer now, I love you like the sun came out. Oh, we're waking up, we're waking up slow. It's like I never had a doubt, I love you like the sun came out. Oh, we're waking up, we're waking up slow." At her words, Kouga allows his heart to lift. _No way she's talking about mutt face,_ he smirks to himself. _We're finally on the same page_.

"Like I told you, Don't look backwards." She warns herself, looking back to the grass in front of her. Yes, she had loved InuYasha, and she had given him every chance possible to make it work. But now, she had to look towards the future. _Her _future. A future where they weren't together and… that was okay. "Cause now I see you here, and nothing else matters." She shakes her head, as though the motion would steel her resolve. As though she needed the help now that she knew exactly what she wanted. "Like I told you, don't look backwards, cause now I see you here… I'm going back on the things that I know, oh! All my nights taste like gold. Yeah, when I'm with you it's like everything glows," She smiles wider, turning circles in the field, as Kouga gazes lovingly at her.

"And all my days we can lay low. Yeah, when we're waking up, We're waking up slow. It's a little bit clearer now, I love you like the sun came out." Kouga takes a chance and meets her in the middle of the field, waiting for her to turn into him where he grabs her hand in one and settles his other on her waist. She startles for a minute, cheeks turning red before they dance together as she finishes her song. "Oh, we're waking up, we're waking up slow." Kagome works up the courage to look Kouga in the eyes as she sings the last two lines of the song, delighting in the way he holds her gaze, pure adoration shining through the crystal blue orbs. "It's like I never had a doubt, I love you like the sun came out." Smiling practically from ear to ear, Kouga picks her up by the waist and spins her around as she laughs. When he sets her back on the ground, he slowly closes the distance between them as she quietly ends her song. "Oh, we're waking up, we're waking up slow." The last word barely left her lips when she feels his kiss silence her. It's sweet, tender, slow. So full of promises to be kept and made, and void of any expectations. They would simply be happy together, and that would be enough.

Waking Up Slow (Piano Version) – Gabrielle Aplin


	3. Beside You

Kouga walks by the field, on his way to Kaede's village, when he finds Kagome sitting in the clearing by the well again. She's sitting on the ground, knees pulled up to her chest, head resting against them. His eyebrows lower as he picks up the scent of salt encompassing her. He quickly crosses the clearing, grabbing her hands, startling her out of her thoughts. He notices two thin white chords coming from her ears and watches as she takes them out, trying to wipe away her tears with her other hand.

"Kouga! I didn't hear you come up, what are you doing here?" She asks, voice thick with barely contained sobs. She catches his gaze and raises a small rectangular device attached to the thin chords that had been in her ears. "It's called an iPod," she explains. He gazes at it cautiously.

"From your time?" She nods her head, the corner of her lips twitching upwards.

"Still pretty new though. Wanna see?" She offers it to him. Hesitantly, he takes the strange device from her hands and holds it up to his nose, sniffing it. She giggles at the sight. "It's for listening to music." She holds up the white chords again. "These are earbuds, they carry the sound from that to your ears."

"So, there is a small musical group inside? I thought you said there was no magic in your time." Kagome laughs for the first time in days. She tries to stop, because really, there's no way he could know, but is unable at the idea of small people in the pocket sized device.

"No, it's a little difficult to explain, but there are no small people involved. Let me show you." She takes one of the earbuds and carefully puts it in his ear before pushing the play button. Kouga jumps as a guitar rhythm suddenly sounds from the small earbud, looking at the iPod in wonder. She pushes a button and the guitar is replaced by a piano.

"Your time is _definitely_ magic if you can create something like this," he muses, still gazing at the small device. "What were you listening to when I came up?" Her amused gaze falls once more as she looks at the ground.

"Nothing you'd like, I'm sure." Kouga's eyebrows lower again as he gently raises her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.

"What's wrong, Kagome?" She sighs as tears once again prick at her eyes.

"I'm scared," she admits. Her voice is barely a whisper. He can smell the fear on her, unconsciously scowling.

"You can tell me." She melts into his side, nuzzling in as his arm automatically wraps itself around her shoulders. For the first time all week, she feels _safe_.

"Tomorrow's the day," she admits, softly. She doesn't need to elaborate, Kouga knows exactly what she's talking about. He had forfeited his jewels earlier that week in preparation for their final battle, an event he is unable to participate in. His jaw locks as he clenches his teeth together, angrier than ever at not being able to be there for her, to protect her. "I just don't know what's going to happen, I mean, _anything_ could go wrong. I don't want to lose anyone." Tears leave trails down her cheeks again as she curls further into him. He realizes she must have been listening to music to calm her down. With a gentle smile, he picks up her iPod, trying to push some of the buttons.

"How do I find what you were listening to?" She huffs out a soft chuckle before taking it from him, scrolling to the song. He passes her one of the earbuds, waiting for her to put it in her own ear, before nodding for her to press play.

"When your tears are spent on your last pretense." A man's voice and soft guitar picking float through the device into the teenagers' ears. "And your tired eyes refuse to close and sleep in your defense. When it's in your spine like you've walked for miles and the only thing you want it just to be still for a while." Drums join in with other men vocalizing, picking up the beat a bit, making for a soothing, uplifting sort of tune. "And if your heart wears thin, I will hold you up, and I will hide you when it gets too much. I'll be right beside you, I'll be right beside you." Kouga glances down at the small girl in his arms, feeling her mouthing the words to the song against his chest. He tightens his grip around her, gently rubbing her arm, and kisses the top of her head. She wraps her arms around his waist a little tighter, burying her face against him. "When you're overwhelmed and you've lost your breath and the space between the things you know is blurring nonetheless. When you try to speak but you make no sound, and the words you want are out of reach but they've never been so loud! And if your heart wears thin I will hold you up, and I will hide you when it gets too much. I'll be right beside you, I'll be right beside you." Kouga leans back, slowly, until the two are laying on the ground and looking up at the stars, much like they had that first night he had found her here. He runs his hand through her hair, like his mother did when he was a pup. "I will stay! Nobody will break you. Trust in me, trust in me, don't pull away! Just trust in me, trust in me, cause I'm just trying to keep this together, because I could do worse and you could do better." Kouga gently nudges Kagome, forcing her to look up into his already waiting eyes.

"No matter what happens tomorrow," he begins, voice soft, comforting. "I will be right here waiting. I don't care how long it takes, Kagome, I _will _find you again. Whether that's here tomorrow night, next week, or in five hundred years. I'll always be here," he promises. Tears fill her eyes once more as he tilts her head up for a gentle kiss.

"And if your heart wears thin, I will hold you up and I will hide you when it gets too much. I'll be right beside you! Nobody will break you." She settles back against his side, taking deep breaths, and suddenly feeling much more relaxed. He keeps his hold on her until morning. Even when she falls asleep, he stays there, running his hand through her hair, whispering promises of their future together after tomorrow, hoping they reach her in her dreams.

"And if your heart wears thin I will hold you up, and I will hide you when it gets too much, I'll be right beside you, nobody will break you."

Beside You by Marianas Trench


	4. Wolf

Kouga shakes his head at Ginta and Hakkaku's stumbling forms, chuckling to himself as he mentally counts how many beers the two demons had already had. It wasn't enough to get them drunk, what with their higher tolerance as demons, but it was enough to make them lighter than they had been in recent centuries. They wander down the street surrounded by bars and clubs alike, each pulsing with bright lights and loud music, promising booze for hours and scantily clad women. The boys had long since given up trying to get Kouga to go on a date and had since set their sights on a one night stand for their lonely leader. He knew they meant well, but he couldn't help but remember what Kagome had told him all those years ago.

_"I'm not… from around here." Her voice was hesitant, which confused the wolf leader. _

_ "Yeah, I kinda figured that. I mean, nobody I've ever seen dresses like you or has any of your stuff." She chuckled, scratching the back of her head. He noticed how uncomfortable she was and didn't want to push her into anything. "Hey, you don't have to tell me anything you don't want. I don't care where you're from, you're still my woman all the same." She looked up at him, eyes wide and cheeks pink, but still, she smiled. _

_ "It's something you _should_ know. Before… anything else happens." He understands she means romantically and feels his own eyes widen in surprise. _She's giving me a chance? _He asked himself. The very idea thrilled him to no end. He took her hands and led them down to the floor to sit. _

_ "Anything you want to tell me, take your time. I'll wait." He watched as she bit her lip and looked at the floor, gathering her thoughts. After several minutes in silence, she finally peeked up at him from under her bangs._

_ "It's not that I'm not from around _here_, that was a poor choice of word," she began. Kouga's eyebrows drew together in confusion, he was certain he'd never seen her before and he'd roamed these areas for far longer than she had been alive, he would have remembered seeing her. "It's more that… I'm not from _now_." She took a deep breath and finally met his gaze full on. "I'm from the future." At first, he'd laughed thinking she was trying to pull one over on him. She had expected that and waited while he got it out of his system. When he looked back down at her, still clutching his side, he saw the seriousness in her gaze. "About five hundred years in the future." Her tone was steady, her scent unchanged, and there was no sign of any kind of deception. So, he asked her to tell him about it, her home in the future, her family, and everything in it. By the end of the night, he believed her completely._

Since then, he had made it his mission to find her. He hadn't counted on Tokyo growing so much and so fast. Every decade or so, he would go to the Goshinboku tree and the shrine that was built there in the 1600s, in the hopes that she would be there. He'd watched some of her ancestors grow up, seen her family, but never her. And so, he waited. _She'll be there one day_, he consoled himself, _and when she is, I'll be ready_. He smirks to himself as he trails behind his friends, noting the occasional glances they throw his direction to make sure he's still with them and hasn't retreated home.

"Kouga!" Ginta yells, losing his balance a bit, forcing a laugh from the pack leader. "What do you think of this place?" He jerks his thumb in the direction of a strangely dark club with women dancing in the windows. One walks out, gesturing the boys over, but one look at her lack of attire has Kouga politely shaking his head and wishing her a good night while she pouts, watching him walk away.

"Why are all the good looking ones never interested?" He hears her ask herself and suppresses a chuckle.

"Kouga, you can't say no to _every_ place we walk by," Hakkaku chastises. Kouga sticks his hands in his pockets with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Find a place that looks cleaner than a subway station and I'll consider it." The boys, now tasked with the first thing resembling an acceptance, immediately set to work looking around them and pulling out their phones to google places. Seeing they're going to be awhile, Kouga leans against a nearby wall to wait. He sniffs the air, gagging at the overwhelming aroma of alcohol and smoke, nearly collapses in relief at a faint sweetness dancing just at the edge of all the filth. He focuses in on it, finding it _much_ more pleasant than the smells surrounding him, and feels his eyebrows furrow. _Where have I smelled this before?_ He wonders to himself. He barely notices Ginta and Hakkaku come back to tell him they have an idea, distractedly following them while he wracks his brain for the strangely familiar scent. A particularly strong gust of wind pulls its way between the buildings and blows trash into the air while some girls hold their dresses down and scream in alarm. The wind carries with it more of the scent and Kouga's eyes widen immediately. Lavender fields wrapped in a blanket of vanilla, just a hint of cherry blossom. _Kagome._

He takes off in the direction the wind came from, more than a little frustrated at not being able to use his full speed due to the predominantly human crowd. He hears Ginta and Hakkaku scramble to catch up, throwing apologies at the people they run into or cut off, but he only has one thing on his mind. As he draws closer, he hears drums and a guitar playing a strangely folksy song before a familiar voice is carried to his ears on the wind.

"Wolf-mother, where you been? You look so worn, so thin." Her voice is a little deeper, with age no doubt, and more controlled, but he'd know that voice anywhere. Hearing her so close only pushes his legs to run faster as he darts around a corner, nearly taking out a couple walking. "You're a taker, devils-maker, let me hear you sing, hey-ya hey-ya. Wolf-father, at the door, you don't smile anymore. You're a drifter, shape-shifter, let me see you run, hey-ya hey-ya." He can't help but smile at the words she's singing, _If only she knew. _He chuckles to himself, lifting himself up and over a fence. _I'm coming, Kagome._ "Holy light over the night, oh, keep the spirit strong. Watch it grow, child of wolf, oh, keep holdin' on."

"Boss, what's going on?" Hakkaku yells, having finally caught up.

"Yeah, where's the fire?" Ginta yells from his right. Kouga merely smiles, taking both wolves by surprise, as it had been years since they'd seen a real smile on his face.

"You two don't smell that?" Sharing a confused look, the two wolves take a deep sniff of the air and their own eyes widen in shock.

"_Sis_?" They both yell, sending excited laughter bubbling out of their leader's mouth. They share a smile and follow their boss silently, almost as excited as he is now.

"When I run through the deep dark forest long, after this begun. Where the sun would set, the trees were dead, and the rivers were none. And I hope for a trace to lead me back home from this place. But there was no sound, there was only me, and my disgrace." They stop across the street from a cozy looking bar called Bar Trench. The lighting was dim, the furnishings black, and the door wide open. Quickly fixing themselves, they run over and let themselves in. The bar is full, as are most of the seats around the entryway and along the walls. Some space had been cleared for a dance floor of sorts where there were still more people, dancing to the live music coming from the stage. Kouga's heart nearly stopped as he took her in. She's older than when he last saw her, in her mid-twenties or so, her hair longer, now falling to her waist in raven black waves. A black and royal blue flannel shields her from the chill of the open door, layered over a dark grey, cropped shirt. Faded black jeans hug her waist and toned legs all the way down to her combat boots. She's holding the mic in one hand, resting her left on the stand, with her eyes closed, and Kouga is positively floored. Despite the changes, she is still her. _She's still my woman._

"Wolf-mother, where you been? You look so worn, so thin. You're a taker, devils-maker, let me hear you sing, hey-ya hey-ya." Hesitantly, Kouga releases some of his youki, allowing it to search out her reiki. The moment it makes contact, her eyes fly open and their eyes meet over the sea of people between them. Kouga finds himself making his way towards her, never breaking eye contact, as she feels her own eyes well up with tears. "Wolf-father, at the door, you don't smile anymore. You're a drifter, shape-shifter, let me see you run, hey-ya hey-ya. Wayward winds, a voice that sings of a forgotten land." Images of their time together in the feudal era flood both of them as she sings. "See it fall, child of war, oh, lend a mending hand." He watches, captivated, as she runs a hand through her silky strands, unable to keep herself from smiling, despite the sad lyrics escaping her lips. Her hips sway to the beat and he waits, just off stage, watching her place the mic back on its stand. "When I run through the deep dark forest long, after this begun. Where the sun would set, the trees were dead, and the rivers were none." She once again finds and holds his gaze, happier than she's been in years, having found her trace. "And I hope for a trace to lead me back home from this place. But there was no sound there was only me, and my disgrace." She jumps off the stage as the rest of the band finishes up the vocalizations, right into Kouga's waiting arms. He smells her tears before he feels them on his shirt, bringing one hand up to run his fingers through her hair, burying his face in her neck just to breathe in her scent. She pulls away and he sets her down, resting a hand on her cheek. She fixes him with, what appears to be, a stern expression but the happiness radiating off of her betrays her.

"What took you so long?" He smirks down at her, pulling her closer.

"Tokyo's a big place and I didn't have exact coordinates," He leans down until his lips are right next to her ear and relishes in the shiver that runs down her spine. "And it's not like you gave me an exact date to find you." She blushes at the realization she hadn't given him much to go on. That he'd found her at all had to be a miracle. "Doesn't mean I didn't try." She looks up at him to find the wolf demon staring at her with as much love as he had the day she'd disappeared. "I never stopped looking for you, Kagome." Before he could blink, Kagome grabbed either side of his face and brought his lips down to meet hers, a reaction he immediately reciprocated. The crowd around them cheered wildly as the two lost themselves in each other for a moment, pouring in every feeling they'd been unable to share for the last five hundred years. When they finally break apart, they're both gasping, trying to catch their breath, but smiling. He brushes her bangs out of her blue eyes, staring directly into them as he whispers, "I love you, Kagome." A few more tears escape her eyes as she smiles up at her wolf, running her thumb over his cheekbone.

"I love you too, Kouga."

Wolf by First Aid Kit


End file.
